YUEN HOY POY

Description

Biographical informationYuen Hoy Poy was born in Cheung Kok Village, Chungshan, in China on 28 December 1870, January 1872 or 28 December 1872 (Yuen Hoy Poy listed different dates of birth on several Immigration Department records).

He migrated to Australia in May 1894 and spent 11 years in Victoria before moving to Western Australia in about 1904. He visited China around 1901 for 6 months (Records of the 1901 trip are unlikely to be found as he applied under his previous name as this was before he had his married name). He was five feet six and half inches in height.

He married Mary Brewer in 1910 (BDM 1910/43 Perth). They had seven children, all born in Perth:
1) Doreen Sadie, born 1910; 2) Elvie May, born 1912; 3) Clyde Eric Arnold, born 1913; 4) Renie Avis, born 1915; 5) Bruce Henry Arnold, born 1916; 6) Royce Edwin Arnold, born 1920; and 7) Max Neville Arthur, born 1924 (died at the age of 7 weeks). The family lived in the Avenue, Nedlands and later at 18 Park Street, Perth.

Yuen Hoy Poy was a manager at the See Wah & Co Furniture Factory. The factory was located in Dyer Street, West Perth, then Railway Parade, West Perth from 1916.
Many vehicle registrations to Yuen Hoy Poy are listed during the 1920s in newspaper reports.

In 1922 he purchased a 'two-storey stone dwelling' from Mrs A. E. Robertson in Wellington Street near Thomas Street. It is presumed that this was 993 Wellington Street, Perth as this was their address in 1931 just before Clyde and Renie left for China (West Australian, 31 October 1922, p. 11).

In 1920 he built a new furniture factory and showrooms in James Street, Perth (West Australian, 'Tenders', 20 August 1920, p. 1). Wooden additions at a cost of £50 were constructed in 1927 (Daily News, 29 September 1927, p. 4). Information from Immigration Department files indicates the address was 297 James Street and valued at around £3,000. The premises burnt down in March 1931 (West Australian, 18 March 1931, p. 9). The factory and land in James Street was sold in August 1933 for £3,000 (West Australian, 12 August 1933, p. 6).

In October 1933 he visited China, returning to Perth in February 1934.

Yuen Hoy Poy was an active member of the Chung Wah Association and a member of the Executive Committee for many years. By 1936 he described himself as retired. In an interview with Immigration officials they noted, 'the Depression has practically forced him out of business'(NAA CEDT Application 1936 file). By 1936 the family had moved to 18 Park Street, North Perth.

He left Western Australia permanently in May 1936 to return to his home village. By 1939 his village was occupied by the Japanese and by his family in Australia did not receive any news from him until after 1943 (NAA Security file, ID 780258 and 1382249).

Yuen Hoy Poy died in his home village: Cheung Kok, Chungshan, on 23 July 1954 (M). He has a memorial stone at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth.

Other nameYeun Hoy Poy (differentiated name)Date of birth1870Date of death23 July 1954

Photograph of Yuen Hoy Poy aged 61 in 1933 from his Exemption from Dictation Test paperwork (source: NAA: K1145, 1933/32)

Family

SpouseHOY POY/YUEN Mary (female)ChildHOY POY Doreen Sadie (female)HOY POY Elvie (female)HOY POY ClydeHOY POY Renie (female)HOY POY BruceHOY POY RoyceHOY POY Max

Connections

Subject (organisation)Chung Wah AssociationSee Wah & Co. Ltd Furniture FactoryHoy Poy Ltd Furniture Factory, West PerthSubject (place)Dyer Street, West PerthThe Avenue, NedlandsRailway Parade, West Perth297 James Street, Perth993 Wellington Street, PerthSubject (topic)Chinese heritage in Western AustraliaFurniture makerCabinet makerRelated collectionAnne Atkinson CollectionRelated linkNAA War Registration File 1916-1920NAA CEDT File 1933NAA CEDT File 1936NAA Immigration File 1933-1936NAA 1933 Passage to China (Melbourne) <Not digitised #812276>NAA 1934 Visa (Sydney) <Not digitised #9631895>NAA Immigration File 1943-1944NAA Immigration File 1943-1944

Item information

ContributorSchool of Social SciencesSource of informationAsian immigrants to Western Australia, 1829-1901 (Atkinson, 1988)

Significant place

RelationPlace of birthPlaceCheung Kok VillageDate1872

Significant place

RelationImmigrated toPlaceAustraliaDateMay 1894

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UWA Collected

YUEN HOY POY

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA